Candidate Statements

“For Michael Lipshutz, who has served two terms on Glen Eira City Council since 2005, this election is an opportunity to continue representing the Jewish and the mainstream community.

The Melbourne lawyer, and father of four, wAnts to further improve infrastructure, which, he said, was in poor condition when he was first elected after the sacking of the council by the state government. “Fixing up our streets, our shopping strips….trying to encourage commerce. There’s a shortage of childcare, particularly in Camden Ward. There’s also a move by some councillors to end aged care. I’m against that.”

Lipshutz described as “laughable” the promises of some candidates for zero rate rises, arguing that rates should be set “to ensure we have a budget that reflects what our needs are”. He also wants to improve consultation with residents and is on the consultation committee.

The former Jewish community Council of Victoria’s presidents told the AJN that synagogues seeking planning permits are a major issue in Glen Eira, whose Jewish population is 22 per cent, while more than 50 per cent of Camden Ward residents are Jewish. “I think I’ve been responsible for most getting through, though not all.”

He said AJAX’s plan to move from Albert Park to Princes Park in Caulfield was “an ongoing issue that I’d like to have looked at and make sure the Jewish sporting clubs are properly looked after”.

Lipshutz, a keen supporter of Chanukah In The Park, wants to ensure the event remains a firm fixture on the Glen Eira calendar, and opposed a move some years ago to cancel it because the Caulfield Park grounds were said to be in poor condition. “I made sure it actually went ahead.”

JAMIE HYAMS

“Mayor Jamie Hyams has vowed to ensure rates in the City of Glen Eira remain among the lowest in metropolitan Melbourne and to deliver on a promise of a 1.5 per cent drop over the next four years.

Hyams said he plans to do this by keeping systems “efficient” and costs down, while continuing to support community organisations and constituents. He singled out development to the Duncan Mackinnon Reserve, Packer Park Pavilion in Carnegie and an “impressive” child and adolescent play area in Murrumbeena Park as important initiatives.

The former senior analyst for the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council said he is sensitive to the “specific needs” of synagogues applying for planning permits, adding that belonging to a minority group has enabled him to identify not just with the Jewish community, but with “people of all sorts of cultures” living in the area.

Boasting nearly seven years with the council, Hyams said resident concerns surrounding overdevelopment and congestion will be addressed by the council’s implementation of new planning zones.

On the huge residential development at Caulfield Racecourse, expected to take up to 15 years to build, Hyams said the new estate is an example of “appropriate development” in the region.

“It is built on a brownfield site, rather than a monstrosity built next to someone’s house.”

Cyclists are also set to benefit from a scheme that Hyams introduced, with the Vibraline – a ribbed buffer between the bike land and moving vehicles, already trialled on Inkerman Road, to be rolled out throughout the electorate.”

MARGARET ESAKOFF

“Former mayor Margaret Esakoff, mother of two and grandmother of two, believes community safety is the most important issue ahead of this month’s council election.

Other areas, such as maintaining roads, ensuring footpaths and drains are in top condition, the provision of services to all sections of the community, including the young and people with disabilities and the aged, are areas “taken very seriously” by Esakoff.

Top priority projects include the new pavilion completed at Duncan Mackinnon Resesrve, the redevelopment of the old Booran Road reservoir and the redevelopment of the Carnegie Pool into a state-of-the-art swim centre and the residential development at the Caulfield Racecourse.

Further priorities include boosting consultation processes such as surveys and forums held as part of the Council/Community Plan program.

Esakoff grew up in Glen Eira and said her Jewish heritage gave her “understanding and knowledge of local values”.

“I am passionate about ensuring that Glen Eira remains the wonderful and safe city that it is, one that provides the community with good services and facilities that the community wants and needs, and one that maintains the peaceful enjoyment that we are lucky to have here in Glen Eira.”

Indeed. There are three premises in the comment by “Oscar Okker” that do not bear close examination: 1, that for some reason Jewish candidates should never have accepted the invitation to describe their views in a Jewish newspaper, and that they did means that all non-Jews and their interests in Glen Eira are somehow slighted and dismissed (!); 2, that there is a unitary “Jewish interest” that allows for no diversity of views or disagreements at all amongst Jewish representatives when dealing with particular policy issues and practical implications (and of course that there is also a unitary non-Jewish ethnic interest or point of view — so that we can talk about, for example, the Christian/Hindu/Buddhist/etc. view of rubbish collection), and 3, even assuming that there was such a unitary “Jewish viewpoint” in Glen Eira matters, that this necessarily opposes other groups’ interests. Do not all cultural/religious groups in the Council want exactly the same goals of an efficient, friendly and welcoming, leafy Glen Eira, in fact, in which each group is accommodated warmly? And is there not actually considerable diversity within each group about how these goals are to be attained? A candidate’s views cannot simply be summed up by his or her ethnicity or religion.

I tend to agree here. Lipshutz, Hyams and Esakoff vote together as a pact due more to their ignorance than the fact that they are the Jewish Block. It also helps when there are other ignorant Councillors like Neil Pilling who can vote with them like for the racecourse development.

Do they always vote together as “the Jewish Block”? Just saying so does not make it so. How do you know? Where are the records of this that I can check? Where, indeed, are any records of the votes of all councillors on Glen Eira Council matters?

I really cannot see how Council issues are determined by any specific “Jewish” interest (unless it might relate to Council approval for construction of a synagogue building). For example, what does this have to do with racecourse development? Tree removal? Park development? Practically none of Council concerns relate to anything specifically Jewish. Perhaps if they all approved racecourse development, they are actually right and the agreement of other councillors seems to show that.

I can only ditto the above comments (1 & 2). This ‘marketing’ of the three reinforces my perception of many of the decisions (including resource allocation) within the City of Glen Eira- (MODERATORS: phrase deleted) and those living outside Caulfied and particularly those south of North Road.
This is appalling and so divisive. Let’s hope the three of them are out on the arses. Why divide the community based on religion…..Clearly in Glen Eira, we have regressed and the concept that ‘we are one but we are many’ doesn’t apply in Glen Eira.

The people south of North Rd just got a 40 mill. swimming pool. It is along way from East St Kilda and my rates have gone up. My rates are probably alot higher than the people south of North Rd. You do not know when you are on a good thing.

Ha? The pool is one thing what about the vast majority of the resource allocation? The obsession with GESAC blurrs the minds of folks like yourself who fail to look at the big picture and the allocation of resources longer term (yes, going forward there will be a debt due to the pool) however, there is other infrastructure and the like that is neglected by the Councillors focused on your area- East St Kilda and immediate surrounds. Good on you for paying higher rates but the infrastructure, services, access to Caulfied Hospital and the like are things we don’t get. The lack of awareness of Councillors and those allocating resources to ‘south of the border’ is appalling!

Paul, it appears as though you think segregation based on religion is good for the community, these comments are mainly pro Jewish community minded only. If they were the opposite I dare say there would be outrage?

Yes there is certainly a clear bias by all above 3 Candiddate Statements – (MODERATORS: rest of sentence deleted)
The fact is however not one of them is saying anything about ihow thery will mprove transparency, listening to the community (more effective & multitiered community consulttaion meachanisms), accountability to the community and better governance…

Well, why would they- they know better than you whats good for you! And therefore dont intend improving governance!

Glen Eira community- dont worry your interests will be well looked after by this paternalistic trio!

Dont forget to look closely at the ‘pretend’ candidates & who they will give their votes to (i.e. their PREFERENCES).

What a joke. Community infrastructure for who? For over a year the best foot wear would be rubber boots in Eskdale Road if the foot[path hasn’t been blocked off completely at the builder’s or MRC whim! We in Eskdale road must be the wrong people.. Answers and actions as a consequence of public questions have always taken several attempts and plenty of paper from tose who are mentioned above and have carried most of the weight in voting at council meetings.

As an independent and first time candidate, I am finding it pretty hard to get my message out into the community. I don’t have the resources of some other candidates. I would be thrilled if the Jewish News asked me to make a statement. I sure hope they ask all candidates. That seems fair, doesn’t it?

One thing you can easily do, Kate, is provide your statement of policies and views to this Glen Eira discussion page. You need not restrict your Council candidacy promotion to the AJN pages, after all. What about the Messenger, which is of course the general newspaper for the area? Perhaps all candidates should jointly press the Messenger to provide some pages for each candidate to put forth their policies and past history. And do you have your own website that voters can access?

On a slightly different topic, something I really wonder about is where voters can learn about the actual voting record of Council representatives. This should be available to the public as a matter of course, in the interests of transparency and accountability. Council members seeking to retain their seat on the Council can promise this or that in election campaigns, but it is their actual voting record that tells the real story about their policies and views.

E.g., rates are constantly going up. The correlation of this with services is an open question. What is the record of each Council member on issues leading to rate rises and service provision? Some services no doubt need enhancement, granted. What measures are being taken to keep expenses associated with these enhancements at their lowest feasible level? And who votes for what? We the voters do not know the answers to any of these questions, and there does not seem any place we can find them. So we are being asked to vote blindly, merely on the basis of apple-pie-and-motherhood statements by candidates. Is this merely coincidental, considering that Councillors themselves have the power to refuse publication of their voting record?

I have just had a look at an excellent local website that does provide candidate policy statements, and which will therefore be of interest to voters in the Council election. Kate Dempsey is included amongst those providing policy statements. See: http://geresidents.wordpress.com/

I have read the full article as it appears in the AJN and find it an appalling piece of reverse racism. Profiles of all the Jewish Candidates and not a mention of “mainstream” (their wording) candidates – so much for impartial/objective reporting and reporting that fully informs and encourages readers to make their own assessment.

Last Sunday I attended the GERA Meet the Candidates Community Forum – they didn’t discriminate, they invited every one – all candidates and all residents.

The AJN should publish an apology and interviews with all Candidates. This has to contravene the electoral laws and the anti discrimination act.

It’s a Jewish Newspaper and it is going to promote Jewish candidates. What the heck did you expect??? Probably agree with the incorrect wording of mainstream. But no breach of any laws. What next’s why aren’t all the candidates in the Chinese News, Indian News, Muslim Monthly, etc etc?

I expect any newspaper reporting on an election to report on all candidates regardless of newspapers racial or religious origins/interests. This is not an election for offices with in a strictly Jewish, Indian, Muslim or whatever else organisation. It is an municipal wide election, comprising a whole host of races and religions and therefore the should be reported as such – to not do so is racist and divides the community.

Paul I agree with you that as an “ethnic” newspaper they are entitled to promote whomever they wish. I would expect that in other suburbs and local government areas, different papers would also promote specific candidates. What is not so clear cut and which I do find offensive are the actual comments attributed to Hyams and Lipshutz in particular. If these are accurate then they need some major retractions.

In the first place, Hyams states that the C60 will be built on “brownbuilt”. My understanding is that only one of the towers will be on the car park (even if we accept that this is “brownbuilt” site). The rest will feature close to properties and houses. Lipshutz then speaks about the need for child care centres. Yet he was the leading advocate for refusing the Morrice St childcare application.

There are many other comments that these candidates have made that should be challenged – rate increases, consultation, and so forth. It’s all very well to seek endorsement from specific groups within the community but I don’t think it is acceptable to fudge the truth in this manner.

Just because it’s a Jewish newspaper doesn’t mean it should act with reverse racism, the values of non Jewish candidates might be what a Jewish person is looking for in their local candidate. But how will they ever know, AJN wont interview them. This is not a religious vote it’s what’s best for the community as a whole.

I think it is very risky to throw around accusations of racism, “Anon.” You have several posts on this page making accusations about “dividing the community” which indeed strongly promote divisiveness themselves. There can be no just reproach to the Australian Jewish News for focussing on Jewish candidates, and I think you should get off your hobby-horse.

Just heard the radio news – Glen Eira criticised for another Frisbee incident. What surprised me was that spokesperson for Glen Eira was none other than Lipshutz (star of the former frisbee fiasco) – who appointed him spokesperson? Where were the Mayor (Hyams), the Deputy Mayor (Pilling) or usual spokesperson the Director of Community Relations (Paul Burke)?. This is shades of Esakoff having more important things to do than comment on the approval of the infamous C60 or being unavailable for comment on the equally infamous heritage issue – the appropriate personnel duck for cover and underlings are told what to say.

Anyway fellow readers – you will be glad to know Lipshutz said Glen Eira knows nothing about the alleged incident and would like to hear from someone who does know something and that our parks are open for all to enjoy.

It’s a way of garnering the Jewish vote and reassuring them they will continue to be placed front and centre in all matters before the Council. It will ensure Lipshutz and Esakoff will be returned. Not so influential for Hyams where the Jewish vote is far less. But he will be returned too.

Ain’t it amazing, according to Lipshutz the “mainstream” comprises 78% of the Glen Eira population and almost 50% of Camden Ward (it’s higher than 50% in Rosstown and Tucker). Yet how many times have Lipshutz, Hyams and Esakoff fobbed off residents with the line that Councillors they are bound to look at the big Glen Eira picture and what’s good for Glen Eira, rather than just the impact on your particular area. And here they all are using the magnifying glass and narrowing their views.

I was impressed by the candidates although not sure of Steedmans intentions. Where was Pilling? Still curled up in a foetal position under the table? So you stuffed up approving C60. You can still try and rectify the position.

In typical high handed arrogant fashion Lipshutz dimissively describes his Council colleagues election strategy of zero rate increase as “laughable” (yet ” yet no comment on why this unachievable or alternative is presented, just a blind acceptance of inevitable rises).

Then you get down to his sidekick Hyams and find a promise of the 1.5% rate reduction over 4 years. If zero is “laughable” I wonder how Lipshutz would describe a reduction (a reduction I might add that is based on the same promises as the zero promise – costs down and increased efficiencies).

This could be considered comical, however, it also is indicative of the dysfunctionality of this council, ie. Lipshutz using electioneering to discredit an other Councillor, and Lipshutz and Hyams (both Jewish Liberals) not discussing election strategies.

“Mayor Jamie Hyams has vowed to ensure rates in the City of Glen Eira remain among the lowest in metropolitan Melbourne and to deliver on a promise of a 1.5 per cent drop over the next four years.”

This sounds like typical Hyams bullshit. The “drop over the next four years” implies that there will be a reduction EACH YEAR until the magic figure of 1.5% is reached. We don’t get told what this final target figure is of course because 5% is still a hell of a way above the CPI.

Here’s what planned for the moment based on the strategic resource plan –

“Rate revenue increases of 6.5% p.a. for 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 and 5.9% p.a. for 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. Thereafter the increases are set at 5.0% p.a.”For the next 4 years we’ll be paying 6.5% – if we’re lucky. It’s only in 2016/17 that the projected rate increase is 5% – another 5 budgets down the road and not the 4 that Hyams claims. But even this is pie in the sky. Rates under him and his mates will go up, not down. There’s the $7.1 million superannuation that still has to be covered plus all the other debts on gesac. There is absolutely no way that residents will end up paying 5% even in 5years if this lot and Newton are still there. Hyams statement is pure bullshit and I think he knows it.

I’m particularly impressed with Esakoff’s “prioritising” the Booran Road Reservoir. Time to take an objective look

Esakoff has been a councillor since 2003 (sacked and re-elected in 2005) and mayor 3 times.

Booran Road Reservoir, cnr Booran and Glen Huntly Roads, is free land given to the Council to manage by the State Govt and is located in a housing diversity (high density) area with limited open space. It is accessible by train, tram and bus.

Booran Reservoir Timeline
. 2006 – State Govt formally advises of intention to handover Booran Reservoir to Council (informal intention dates back to late 1990’s)
. 2008 – residents consulted – develop as passive open space or sell. Council wanted to sell to developers, residents wanted passive open space
. 2010 – formal management handover – to prevent Council selling the land for development, the state govt. retains ownership
. 2012 – residents consulted, basic concept plans presented – park to be all sports, all passive or a mix. Residents voted passive, Council wants mix.
. 2016/17 – work on park budgeted to commence
. 2018/19 – park available to public